Getting Through
by PCGirl
Summary: Crossover: OLTLGhost Whisperer. John McBain didn't survive the crash and now with Melinda's help has to find a way to get through to Natalie. Will she listen to him?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Melinda, Jim, and the concept of Ghost Whisperer are property of CBS. OLTL, John, and Natalie are property of ABC/Disney. I own no rights, nor do I want to.

A/N: I'm not sure where this story came from—I picked it up on the side of the road today on the way to work and it just kinda told itself to me throughout the day, and then obviously followed me back home and hounded me until it was written. LOL!

If you don't watch Ghost Whisperer—it's ok, I pretty much explain the concept in the beginning. I see this this story being two chapters—I'll write the second one tomorrow when I get home.

Oh, and as you can tell—John did die in the car wreck in this story—it wouldn't be a crossover if he didn't.

Until next time—Ya'll are the best—PCGirl.

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"Why don't you just go on home? My shift will be over soon--," said Jim as he stood in front of his wife, as she leaned back against his Ambulance, an arm propped her over head.

"I don't mind," smiled Melinda.

"Go home—I'll be home soon, I promise," he said as he gave her a kiss and watched as she opened her eyes again and stared back at him.

"Ok, but don't be too long," she giggled as she turned to walk away, the sun just barely peaking over the buildings that made up their town's little square. As she turned she heard the static from Jim's radio and a man's voice coming through the other end.

_Can anyone hear me? My name is...Lieutenant…from…Pennsylvania. I've been in a pile up on Interstate…just outside of Atlantic City. I need medical assistance immediately…at least 15 cars are at the site…engulfing fire is eminent. I repeat…medical assistance needed on Interstate…_

Melinda froze at the words playing over the radio—as she looked at Jim she knew he heard none of it—that once again an earth bound spirit was trying to reach out to her.

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"Any luck?" asked Jim as he walked into the kitchen to see his wife typing in information on her lap top.

"Not yet—but I think I'm getting somewhere."

"This could have been twenty years ago, Melinda—don't make yourself sick over it," he said as he laid his EMT jacket over the chair next to hers and sat down.

"I think it's recent—there, I found something," she said as she opened the link that took her to a story written for a newspaper called The Llanview Banner titled Hero Killed in Pileup that told the story of Lieutenant John McBain dying in one of the worst pileups in recent years. A big rig crossed the line and hit him head on—he was on his way to make peace with his father's murder and then coming back to Llanview to ask for his girlfriend's hand in marriage.

"That's him—I have to help him," she said as she looked at her husband.

"How? Where are you going to look?"

"The scene of the accident—they usually stay there—trying to figure out what's happened," she said as she jumped up and grabbed her purse.

"You're going tonight? It's going to be after midnight by the time we get there."

"I need to Jim—I have to help him," she said as she continued out the front door and he grabbed his jacket once again and followed her out.

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Melinda stepped out of the passenger side of her vehicle and onto the side of the road—seeing the remnants of road side memorials to those that had died in the crash. She walked over and her hand graced the edge of a bear that was attached to a balloon string—the balloon having deflated and disappeared since it was first placed there.

"Nobody visits as often as in the beginning—I guess they've learned to move on," spoke a voice behind her.

As Melinda turned she saw him standing there, he was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt—his hair was dark brown, but his eyes were as blue as the ocean, "At some point you have to—or you'll be no more alive than they are."

John's head turned to look at her, at the realization that she heard him and what it meant, "You can hear me?"

"I can see you too—John McBain, right?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side to wait for an answer, but she knew the answer—had seen his picture in the article she'd read before coming out here.

"How? How did you know?"

"I heard you—through my husband's radio—you were requesting assistance—I'm finally here—what is it you need?"

"I need you to talk to her—tell her everything I never could say."

"Her?"

"My fiancée—her name is Natalie. It kills me to think what she's going through—she thinks everyone she loves leaves her—but it wasn't my choice. You have to tell her that."

"I will—just tell me where she is."

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Melinda took a look back at Jim who was sitting in the car waiting for her—it was mid-morning so the June day had barely started. She'd gone to the main house first—lying to the maid that answered by saying she was an old friend from AC. The woman had told her Natalie was now living in the Carriage House.

As she knocked on the door she was greeted by a young male, early twenties, with blonde hair, "Can I help you?" he asked gruffly.

"Is Natalie here?"

"Yeah," he said as he looked back into the house. "Who are you?"

"I'm sort of a friend of John's—he wanted me to give her a message."

"She's busy," he said as Melinda heard Natalie's voice in the background.

"Rex who is it?" she asked as she came to the door holding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket.

"My name is Melinda Gordon—you don't know me, but John—he gave me a message," she said giving a sympathetic smile.

Natalie looked at her—she looked harmless, but she was still wary about talking about him to anyone—even her family, "What did he say?" she asked out of curiosity.

"He says he's sorry—it wasn't his choice to leave you. And that he loves you—he wants you to be happy again."

"Why are you speaking in the present tense?"

"Because he's still here on earth—he hasn't crossed over, and won't until he gets through to you. Those were his words."

"John always got through to me," said Natalie quietly as Rex pushed her out of the doorway and pushed himself and Melinda both on the front porch together.

"Listen, I don't know who you are, but I'm tired of wackos coming around here and trying to mess with my sister's head. It's been almost nine months now—she has his child to hold onto now, so she doesn't need psychics and scam artists coming around here to tell her he's still alive."

"I'm—that's not what I am," she said as he turned back into the house.

"I don't care—just stay away from my sister," he yelled as he slammed the door in her face.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: For the record--I cried as I wrote this and I NEVER cry at my own stories--so go grab kleenex. Lots and lots of Kleenex. I do hope people out there enjoyed the story. PCGirl.

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Melinda tossed in the bed trying to sleep while her husband slept soundly next to her. Leave it to him to be able to fall asleep immediately wherever they were.

They'd decided to stay in Llanview over night—she wanted to try one more time with Natalie—knew she could get her to believe. She opened her eyes as she suddenly began to hear the sound of Jazz music being played from down below. As she walked to the window she looked down at the street below and at the Angel statue reaching up to the stars.

In a flash he was standing beside the statue, staring at the stars also and then he looked directly at her, his blue eyes looking into her with force, yet she could tell he was asking for help.

She took a look at Jim—still asleep—before grabbing a jacket and going to meet him.

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"Did you see her? How did she look?" asked John before Melinda made her way all the way across the square.

"Lost—confused—unsure she could trust me."

"Trust doesn't come easy for her," he said with a half grin as he sat down in front of the statue. "She's been hurt a lot—more times by me than I care to admit. On one more than one occasion we met here and I thought I'd lost her for good. Truth is—you don't lose your soulmate."

"You really were that close?" she asked as she sat down next to him.

"Yeah, there were a few times people thought one or the other of us was dead—and yet we knew in our heart it wasn't the case. I wish this time had been different—that I was alive somewhere in a hospital trying to call for her—we had finally gotten it right and were where we needed to be. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Yeah—ironic. There's something I need to tell you—something you need to know," said Melinda as she looked up to the sky and then to John. "Natalie—when I saw her—she was holding a baby boy. Her brother Rex, he said it was yours."

"I—I have a son?" he said as his eyes welled up with tears. "The hits just keep coming—I spent my whole life trying to solve my father's death and when I do I lose mine and miss out on my own son's life."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok," he said as he rubbed his eyes. "The roller coaster stops now—I won't let Natalie and our son spend their lives trying to avenge my death. One life wasted is enough for a family—I won't let the rest of my family waste theirs," he said as he stood up and suddenly disappeared.

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She looked beautiful and full of peace—a peace he was sure didn't mirror in her eyes or her soul. She was hurt—unsure of what to do next—but he knew he had to get through to her. She said he always got through to her—and as John leaned down to her ear in hopes she could hear him he had to make her get through to him this time. "Natalie," he said softly and a smile started on his face as he saw a grin appear on hers—as if she could hear his voice.

"Hey—it's me. I want you to believe Melinda—every word she'll tell you is mine. Meet me on the roof tomorrow morning, ok? We can watch the sun rise one last time—and bring our son," he said as he gulped before he spoke his last words, "I love you, beautiful."

And with that he was gone again. Natalie stirred and opened her eyes, glancing at the clock for a moment before falling back asleep, "Ok John—love you too."

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"Maybe she's not coming," said John as he kept pacing the roof of the hotel while Melinda sat there watching him.

"Give her time," said Melinda as the door opened and Natalie walked out onto the roof carrying a car seat. "You're here."

"Yeah—I don't know why—I had this dream of John telling me to come up here and listen to what you had to say."

"You can trust me—I promise. Is there something you want him to tell you? Something only you two would know?"

"At Asa's cabin—when we ate Mac and Cheese and talked—how did he help his mom get through their first Christmas alone?"

John grinned, "Tell her I pretended to be both me and Mike—two place settings and two chairs—I kept jumping between the chairs and having an argument with him."

Melinda smiled at the picture, "He says he pretended to be both himself and Mike—something about jumping between chairs and having an imaginary argument with him."

"John," she said softly as she looked around trying to figure out where he was.

Melinda watched John walk directly in front of her and try to move a strand of her hair, "He's right in front of you—he was trying to move your hair."

"I know—it's like I could feel his touch just then," she said as she wiped the tears away. "You—have a son, John," she said as she leaned down and picked up the baby, holding him so John could get a good look at him.

"He has her smile," he spoke softly. "What's his name?"

"He asked what his name is—and that he has your smile."

"John Patrick. I actually didn't realize until after I'd named him—St Patrick's Day—."

"Our first kiss."

"He says it was your first kiss."

Natalie nodded as she looked down at him, "I'm going to tell him all about you John—make him so proud of you. He'll never go without knowing what type of hero his dad was."

"I'm already proud of him—and of you too," he said as he looked at Melinda and knew he had to hurry and say what he needed to say before he lost his courage.

"He says he's proud of both of you."

John gave a gulp before he spoke, "Tell her to not let my death take over either of their lives. I let my old man's death take over mine and I missed out on so much—and I'm going to miss even more," he said as he tried to touch baby John's face and the baby squirmed for a moment—as if sensing him then relaxed in his mother's arms.

"He said don't let his death take of your life—or your son's. He doesn't want either of you to miss out on life—and that he already knows how much he's going to miss in the future."

"I'm scared John—I don't know if I can raise him by myself. What if I screw up his life? What if I'm just like Roxy and a horrible mother?" she said as she finally let the tears flow.

"You won't—I've always known you'd be a great mother. Right before I died—I had a vision—I saw us with our children playing pool. You were amazing Natalie—and you still will be—I just wish I could be with you."

"He says he's always known you would be a great mother—he had a vision with you two and your children playing pool—even in the vision you were an amazing mother, Natalie."

"You always did know how to get through to me, John," she said as she laughed a moment and looked down at baby John. "I love you, John—I think we'll be ok. No, I know we'll be ok."

John smiled as tears filled his eyes at knowing this was the last time he'd ever see her, "Tell her two more things—that she doesn't always have to play the tough guy card. It's ok to ask for help—nobody will think lesser of her. And to know I'm so grateful she never gave up on me."

Melinda's eyes filled with tears at hearing the love and gratitude in his voice for a woman she knew he'd have to leave soon, "He says to remember you don't always have to be use the tough guy card—and he's so grateful that you never gave up on him."

Natalie tried to say something but her voice was stuck in her throat, "We'll love you forever John—until we see you again."

"I know you will," he said as he turned towards the sunrise and it was taken over by a beautiful white light. As he looked into it he saw his dad standing there waiting for him, "Dad," he said softly as he took a step forward and then back at Natalie, "Goodbye, Natalie. Goodbye, my son."

Melinda watched him continue to walk towards the light and then was gone. As she turned to Natalie she saw something that wasn't there before, some sort of peace. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I will be—we just need to be alone for a moment," she said as she went and sat down on the bench and watched the sunrise with her son. She looked down at him, he was beginning to wake up and as he stared back at her with those ocean blue eyes for the first time in months Natalie truly smiled at the glorious miracle her and John had created and knew he was never that far away.


End file.
